Through the Office of Federal Student Aid (a performance-based organization), the U.S. Department of Education awards about $137 billion a year in grants, work-study funds, and low-interest loans to approximately 14 million students.

Applying for federal grants, loans, and work-study costs nothing! More than 21 million students used the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) last year, and many of them apply online at FAFSA on the Web.

Visit StudentAid.gov for complete information on receiving federal financial aid for college. The Federal Student Aid Information Center helps students complete the FAFSA and provides the public with free information about our programs. Call 1-800-4-FED-AID to speak to a specialist about the programs.

The Information for Financial Aid Professionals website is an indispensable source of guidance for financial aid administrators, auditors, and others who are involved with the Federal Student Aid Programs. You will find Dear Colleague Letters, electronic announcements, the FSA Handbook and other publications, and much more.

The Direct Loan Program provides loans for students and parents from the Department of Education. The Direct Loan website offers information, tools, and links to other sites pertinent to Direct Loans.

Also for financial aid professionals is the Postsecondary Education Participants System or PEPS. At the PEPS website you'll find reports of closed schools, the Case Management and Oversight weekly institutional updates, and other information.

The HEA authorizes an "experimental sites" initiative that allows schools that apply and qualify for participation to use alternative methods to meet some of the requirements for administering the Federal Student Aid programs. See the website for more information.